Advent Whiskey Calendar at Hamilton Kitchen

The Hamilton Kitchen in Allentown is unwrapping a whiskey a week for its Whiskey Advent Calendar, through Dec. 24.

The Hamilton Kitchen in Allentown is unwrapping a whiskey a week for its Whiskey Advent Calendar, through Dec. 24. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO, HAMILTON KITCHEN)

Lenora DannelkeSpecial to The Morning Call

"I thought this would be a great way to get people acquainted with some of our more high-end whiskeys."

Admit it: Unwrapping presents is a big plus of the holiday season. And The Hamilton Kitchen and Bar is getting in the holiday spirit — no pun intended, says manager Jason Lonigro — with not only vibrant decorations but an impressive Advent Whiskey Calendar. Each evening from Dec. 1 through Christmas Eve a different gift-wrapped bottle is being opened to preview for the next day's special offering.

"We have well over 260 whiskeys on the back bar now, so I thought this would be a great way to get people acquainted with some of our more high-end whiskeys." Keep track of the festive unveilings on Facebook.

The final week's appearances include a 23-year-old bourbon and a selection from the Buffalo Trace Antique collection. Prices per shot vary by the bottle, from $6 through $20 to $25, depending on the rarity of the whiskey. "Some of these are super-hard to get, and the usual price would be $65 or $70 a pour, so the price is really discounted," says Lonigro.

If you visit the restaurant on the final Advent calendar night, a special Christmas Eve supper includes such special menu additions as chestnut soup with cognac creme fraiche and chervil, and pork cheeks with chestnut risotto, Swiss chard and fried celery root on the appetizer menu, and entrees that include roasted prime rib with bone marrow au jus and cognac jus, roasted rack of lamb with chanterelles and cumin yogurt vinaigrette, venison osso buco with huckleberry sauce, pan-seared salmon with pumpernickel and horseradish, and sweet potato gnocchi with pork belly and chanterelles. Feature drinks include brandy eggnog, browned butter rum and more.

The restaurant is open regular hours, 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. that day.

Check out a special New Year's Eve menu on Facebook. Food will be served through midnight that day.